Letters to the Editor

As part of a successful effort to foster a unified school culture, George Washington High School has recently instituted a curricular model providing freshman and sophomore students exposure to a full range of subjects and then assisting in the choice of a pathway (College Prep, Advance Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Career Connect) to focus on as juniors and seniors. For students seeking greater academic challenges, GW has expanded its AP curricula and continues to provide the rigorous academic experience of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.

Since its inception more than 30 years ago as Colorado’s first IB program, GWIB students have performed at the highest levels academically in Denver. In 2016, GWIB students scored an average of 30 on the ACT and outperformed the world mean in 14 of 22 subject areas. GWIB students earn a high school diploma, as well as an International Baccalaureate Diploma.

GW is one of the most racially, economically, and culturally diverse high schools in Denver. Its speech and debate program (ranked 13th in the nation) and robotics teams are nationally recognized, and the school regularly produces National Merit and Boettcher Scholars. The GW boys’ basketball team is a favorite to win the state 5A championship. Recent graduates attend top colleges and universities including the Air Force Academy, Brown, Columbia, Colorado College, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, and the University of Virginia.

As the parent of a current sophomore at GW and a 2016 graduate, I know from direct experience that we have a tirelessly dedicated community of teachers, administrators, and parents. Principal Scott Lessard is committed to promoting all facets of the GW community and furthering a unified George culture. I urge prospective parents to seriously consider GW – great things are happening at George!

—Tim Bakken

No Wall on MLK

The proposed sound wall in Bluff Lake between Iola and Moline would be tragic for our community. It’s fundamentally against the principles upon which Stapleton was created: namely close community, shared spaces, and inclusivity. Walls are physical, social, and emotional barriers. They’re unwelcoming to friends, neighbors, and visitors. They’re also expensive and ugly.

Second, a wall will increase crime by providing a canvas for graffiti and cover for thieves. Right now, open lines of sight help neighbors look after one another and our neighborhood. Recognizing something that doesn’t seem right is impossible when it’s happening on the other side of a giant wall. Currently, police patrolling MLK can quickly and easily see down alleys and courtyards allowing them to identify suspicious situations day or night. A wall will provide additional cover for car break-ins and garage thefts.

Third, the wall isn’t going to prevent sound from affecting bedrooms in houses along MLK which are on the second floor of our homes. The wall may reduce sound on the first floors, but these are the spaces where we make dinner, entertain friends, listen to music, and watch TV. These aren’t the most sensitive spaces in our homes. The sound of traffic at night, when you’re lying in your quiet bedroom on the second floor of your house, isn’t going to be reduced by the wall.

Fourth, the sound wall will limit the views of the mountains we love so much. How many of you have wandered to the north end of a courtyard to watch a beautiful sunset or exploding thunderstorm rolling across the plains? That won’t happen anymore. And this summer when the Eastbridge Town Center is complete, imagine walking along a grey concrete trail next to a grey concrete wall with no view of the mountains.

Vote “NO” to the wall. Tell CDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to keep their wall out of our neighborhood.